What kind of stuff do you all read?

[miglee279]

Just curious what taste every one has when it comes to reading material?
I am not a huge magazine reader simply due to the boring stuff and mostly advertisement stuff in them. They can be good for pictures though to look at and day dream, but usually the writing sucks LOL.
I've pretty much destroyed the book department and am looking for "new" authors that write decent about the mountain man era. I've gone through so many books by various authors, including one writer that has a 70+ book series, that it's getting super hard to find new material to enjoy.

 

[tenngun]

I tend to stay away from novels today, not because old ones were better historically but what I see is too much pc in the place of history today. That said I have two old ones going right now. Both are cr 1970-80, neither about America ( creation by Gor Vidal and Das Boot, both I read years ago)
I like the Mitchner books. As he tried to give a nonjudgmental view of the past. In his Chesapeake for instance he gives a sympathetic view of the slave owning Steeds and the antislavery Paxamores living side by side
Mountain man times was very short lived, and while we have several good journalists from that time they ultimately are few.
Townsend’s has good collections of early American journalist but any such is limited as he is writing only in what he saw and own experience. That said they are our best window in to the past. The best novel writer is still bound by being a modern person. So even the best researcher and attempt to be accurate is still flavored by today.
Jeff Sheere by way of example, tells a very correct story. But if you read several you see the same personalities in Cornwallis, Hancock and Rommel.
Or McColluges Master of Rome series. You can get her research books and follow the events she describes in Plutarch and Tacitus but still she has her heroes and villains, fun read, pretty correct but not history.
Read novels for fun, but have low expectations
Read the real journals but know your missing ‘the big picture’

 

[kansas_volunteer]

I like Sigfreid Sasson. His WW1 era novels are quite interesting and easy reads. Not blackpowder related, but very good writing.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I don't read anymore. Magazines are too expensive, and I don't have the patience to stay with a novel like my wife can. I'd rather type here or watch YouTube videos of dudes fixing old tractors.

 

[Rancocas]

I like good literature, so like you, I have dropped many of my magazine subscriptions. However, I continue to subscribe to Muzzleloader and to Sporting Classics. I also get an archeology magazine and the NRA magazine. Although there is very little in the NRA magazine that I bother to read. The others I generally read cover to cover.
I can't remember the last time I bought a new book. I frequent a large used book store and usually bring home an armload of reading. Mostly I enjoy nature writing of all kinds, history and historically based novels, and the old classics.

 

[Magungo1066]

I usually read historical stuff but there are a few novels I love. I love Lonesome Dove by McMurtry and The Stand by Stephen King. Just finished Shelby's civil war trilogy. I think my favorite thing I have read in a while was David Mccullough's "1776". I really liked him as a historian. I happened to listen to, rather than read this book and the author narrated it. Very enjoyable. I have been on a big Revolutionary War "kick" with my reading lately. I also just finished an incredible book called "The German Aces Speak". It was absolutely awesome. It is a collection of interviews from some of the top Luftwaffe aces during the Second World War.

 

[andy52]

Just to name a few, Cooper, Melville, Wells, and Burroughs, after the beginning of the 20th century in-depth writing seems to go downhill. with the exception of maybe Tolkien.

 

[Magungo1066]

I tend to stay away from novels today, not because old ones were better historically but what I see is too much pc in the place of history today. That said I have two old ones going right now. Both are cr 1970-80, neither about America ( creation by Gor Vidal and Das Boot, both I read years ago)
I like the Mitchner books. As he tried to give a nonjudgmental view of the past. In his Chesapeake for instance he gives a sympathetic view of the slave owning Steeds and the antislavery Paxamores living side by side
Mountain man times was very short lived, and while we have several good journalists from that time they ultimately are few.
Townsend’s has good collections of early American journalist but any such is limited as he is writing only in what he saw and own experience. That said they are our best window in to the past. The best novel writer is still bound by being a modern person. So even the best researcher and attempt to be accurate is still flavored by today.
Jeff Sheere by way of example, tells a very correct story. But if you read several you see the same personalities in Cornwallis, Hancock and Rommel.
Or McColluges Master of Rome series. You can get her research books and follow the events she describes in Plutarch and Tacitus but still she has her heroes and villains, fun read, pretty correct but not history.
Read novels for fun, but have low expectations
Read the real journals but know your missing ‘the big picture’

I didn't even realize Das Boot was a book. Is it any good? I love the movie.

 

[tenngun]

It’s very good, though the movie was a good Adaptation. It was written in German by a u boat surviver. Translated books often have a different rhythm which for an American English speaker is hard to grip well. It’s almost poetic.
Get your favorite adult beverage and once you start rolling it doesn’t let up. You get to know the people very well, they become ‘real’

 

[Magungo1066]

It’s very good, though the movie was a good Adaptation. It was written in German by a u boat surviver. Translated books often have a different rhythm which for an American English speaker is hard to grip well. It’s almost poetic.
Get your favorite adult beverage and once you start rolling it doesn’t let up. You get to know the people very well, they become ‘real’

You made my day! I am going to search for a copy tonight. My best friend from high school is an officer on one of our nuclear subs so it has given me an appreciation for all of this stuff. Glad to hear the movie did a good job.

 

[tenngun]

I usually read historical stuff but there are a few novels I love. I love Lonesome Dove by McMurtry and The Stand by Stephen King. Just finished Shelby's civil war trilogy. I think my favorite thing I have read in a while was David Mccullough's "1776". I really liked him as a historian. I happened to listen to, rather than read this book and the author narrated it. Very enjoyable. I have been on a big Revolutionary War "kick" with my reading lately. I also just finished an incredible book called "The German Aces Speak". It was absolutely awesome. It is a collection of interviews from some of the top Luftwaffe aces during the Second World War.

If you can find them Bantam books did a great series on WW2 aces. Martin Cadin co wrote a great book on the best surviving Japanese ace in a book called Samurai. He based his novel the last dog fight on this guy

 

[Magungo1066]

Just to name a few, Cooper, Melville, Wells, and Burroughs, after the beginning of the 20th century in-depth writing seems to go downhill. with the exception of maybe Tolkien.

I just re-read the Fellowship of the Ring. Tolkien really was a true master of words

 

[Magungo1066]

If you can find them Bantam books did a great series on WW2 aces. Martin Cadin co wrote a great book on the best surviving Japanese ace in a book called Samurai. He based his novel the last dog fight on this guy

Air warfare is some of my favorite stuff. I love when the author makes you feel like you are there in the cockpit. I read “race of aces” last year about Dick Bong and it was awesome. I think I need to come up with a Tenngun reading list! We seem to like a lot of the same stuff

 

[andy52]

I just re-read the Fellowship of the Ring. Tolkien really was a true master of words

Tolkien is a little difficult for some due to created language.
I first read the trilogy in 1969 and The Hobbit after.
My wife bought me a leather-bound limited edition in 1978, which I still have, I went on a marathon reading the whole 1300+ pages in 14 hrs. My family hates when I start quoting.. .

 

[mushka]

Adventure stuff whether factual or fiction. Science fiction, war stories factual or fiction. Who done its. I'll read most anything that strikes my fancy at the time. Magazines no. I been getting the NRA mag since the early 70's and I don't think I've opened one in ten years, more advertising than material. I take no magazines or the local paper. I revere books.

 

[Coot]

Almost exclusively history. Mostly naval history. I always have 5-6 books on the "waiting to be read stack".

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Just curious what taste every one has when it comes to reading material?
I am not a huge magazine reader simply due to the boring stuff and mostly advertisement stuff in them. They can be good for pictures though to look at and day dream, but usually the writing sucks LOL.
I've pretty much destroyed the book department and am looking for "new" authors that write decent about the mountain man era. I've gone through so many books by various authors, including one writer that has a 70+ book series, that it's getting super hard to find new material to enjoy.

One of my favorite books is, 'Japanese Destroyer Captain'. by Tomichi Hara. Hi true accounts of naval battle in the pacific during WW2 from the Japanese perspective.
With Musket & Tomahawk, by Michael O. Logusz. There are 3 volumes about 400 pgs. each. I knew the author. I haven't seen him in about 10 years, so I don't know where he is now. Good books though. Semper Fi.

 

[oreclan]

I like history books , especially about the founding of our nation. Currently I am reading Thundersticks by David J. Silverman. Next The Falcon.

 

[alcessapiens]

A little bit of everything, these are about 1/5 of the books in my house.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Not a big reader here, a book has to reach out and grab me within the first few chapters, But as to favorite authors, Hemingway, Melville, Poe for the short reads is a few.